Parnell Hall: The Naked Typist

“David Castleton went into a building on Fifth Avenue?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Did you follow him in?”

“No, I did not.”

“What was the address of that building?”

“I don’t recall.”

“You can’t recall the address?”

“No.”

“Then let me ask you this. Did the address of that building mean anything to you at the time? In other words, had you been told the address of that building and been told anyone lived there?”

“Objection.”

“Sustained.”

Dirkson frowned. Thought a moment. “Let’s do it another way. Miss Keller, at the time you were following David Castleton, did you have a pocket notebook with you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Was the address of the building David Castleton went into written in your pocket notebook before you followed him to that address?”

“Objection.”

“Overruled.”

Marcie took a breath. “Yes, it was.”

“Then that address had special significance for you?”

“Objection. Argumentative. Calls for a conclusion.”

“Overruled.”

“I was familiar with the address.”

“Had you ever been there before?”

“No.”

“But you had it written in your notebook?”

“Yes.”

“Then answer me this. Did you have the name of anyone who lived there written in your notebook?”

“Yes, I did.”

“And who was that?”

“Milton Castleton.”

“Milton Castleton? The grandfather of David Castleton?”

“That’s right.”

“So,” Dirkson said. “You followed David Castleton from Castleton Industries to his grandfather’s address?”

“That’s right.”

Dirkson turned and smiled at the jury, as if to show what an ordeal it had been to establish that one simple fact. “Well, Miss Keller. That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

“Objection.”

“Sustained.”

“What time was it when David Castleton reached his grandfather’s apartment building?”

“About five-thirty.”

“When he went inside, what did you do?”

“I waited on the sidewalk.”

“Until he came out?”

“Yes.”

“What time was that?”

“About six-thirty.”

“Where did he go?”

“He walked back across town to Third Avenue and down to a singles bar.”

“You followed him?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did you go into the bar?”

“Yes, I did.”

“What did David Castleton do in the singles bar?”

“He sat at the bar and ordered a drink.”

“I see. And did you order a drink?”

“Yes, I did.”

Dirkson smiled. “I see. Now tell me, Miss Keller, did there come a time when you spoke to David Castleton?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Tell me. How did that happen?”

“I was standing next to him at the bar.”

“What were you doing?”

“Ordering a drink.”

“Another drink?”

“Yes.”

“When you ordered your first drink, were you standing next to him?”

“No, I was at the other end of the bar.”

“I see. You drank that, then moved down the bar and stood next to David Castleton to order another?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s when you spoke to him?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Tell me, who started the conversation, you or him?”

“I did.”

“Tell me, Miss Keller, why did you speak to David Castleton?”

“To find out what he was doing.”

“That was your job?”

“Objection to what the witness was instructed to do.”

Judge Wallingsford took a breath. “Mr. Dirkson, there’s a fine line here. Let’s not cross it. The objection is sustained.”

“Very well, Your Honor. What did you and the decedent talk about?”

“About his job.”

“His job at Castleton Industries?”

“Yes.”

“Did you talk about your job?”

“Yes, I did.”

“What did you tell him your job was?”

“I told him I was an actress.”

Dirkson smiled. “Which is the same thing you told the court.”

“Objection.”

“Sustained.”

“Now, let me ask you this. Are you familiar with the defendant, Kelly Clay Wilder?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Did you see the defendant Kelly Clay Wilder on June twenty-eighth?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Where did you see her?”

“She came into the singles bar.”

“The one where you were talking to David Castleton?”

“That’s right.”

“Were you talking to David Castleton at the time?”

“Yes, I was.”

“What happened then?”

“He saw her come in, and got up and met her at the door.”

“What did you do?”

“I went to the telephone.”

“The telephone?”

“Yes.”

“Did you make a telephone call?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Who did you call?”

“The agency.”

“The Taylor Detective Agency?”

“That’s right.”

“Who did you talk to?”

“No one. Well, actually, just the receptionist. Then I hung up.”

“Why?”

Marcie took a breath. “Because I saw them start to leave.”

“David Castleton and Kelly Clay Wilder?”

“That’s right.”

“So what did you do?”

“I followed them.”

“Out of the bar?”

“That’s right.”

“What happened then?”

“By the time I got outside they were gone.”

“I see,” Dirkson said. “Tell me. You say you saw the defendant, Kelly Clay Wilder, come into the bar?”

“That’s right.”

“Had you ever seen her before?”

“No, I hadn’t.”

“Had you seen a picture of her?”

“No.”

“Then how did you recognize her?”

“I didn’t recognize her.”

“Then how did you know it was her?”

“I didn’t know it at the time. I know it now because I see her here in court.”

Dirkson frowned. “You didn’t know the woman who came into the bar was Kelly Clay Wilder?”

“No, I did not.”

“Did you suspect it was Kelly Clay Wilder?”

“Objection.”

“Sustained.”

“Now, when you got outside the bar and discovered David Castleton and Kelly Clay Wilder weren’t there, what did you do?”

“I returned to the Taylor Detective Agency.”

“Did you see anyone there?”

“Yes. Mark Taylor.”

“Did you see anyone else?”

“Yes.”

“Who was that?”

“Steve Winslow.”

“Steve Winslow? The defendant’s attorney?”

“That’s right.”

“You spoke with them?”

“That’s right.”

“After you spoke with them what did you do?”

Marcie raised her voice. “Well, Mark Taylor had instructed me to go home, but-”

“Objection,” Dirkson said. “You already ruled this witness can’t testify as to what she was instructed to do.”

Judge Wallingsford smiled. “She can’t be compelled to, but if she wants to volunteer it, that’s another matter. Are you asking that the remark be stricken?”

“No, let’s get on with it. Miss Keller, regardless of what you were instructed to do, when you left the Taylor Detective Agency, what did you do?”

“I went to an address on East Seventy-fourth Street.”

“What address was that?”

“I can’t recall exactly.”

“Was this an address you had written in your notebook?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Whose address was it?”

“The address of David Castleton.”

“You went to that address and what did you do?”

“I waited outside the building.”

“What were you waiting for?”

“To see if David Castleton would show up.”

“I see. Tell me. Was there anyone else waiting with you?”